WembleyLion Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I really cannot believe it's 30 years since that memorable night at Brandon when 20,000 or so witnessed Ole Olsen's Bees up against Ivan Mauger's Vikings. The winners would be the champions - simple as that. In 40 seasons of Speedway I cannot recall a larger attendance for a league fixture that I have attended. For those who were not around at the time or have forgotten, the Bees triumphed 42-36 on the night to become league champions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Red Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Part of a double header if my memory serves me correctly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WembleyLion Posted October 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Part of a double header if my memory serves me correctly Yes indeed, Leicester were the 'support act' in the Midland Cup or something similar. The Bees won 53 - 25 I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I really cannot believe it's 30 years since that memorable night at Brandon when 20,000 or so witnessed Ole Olsen's Bees up against Ivan Mauger's Vikings. The winners would be the champions - simple as that. In 40 seasons of Speedway I cannot recall a larger attendance for a league fixture that I have attended. For those who were not around at the time or have forgotten, the Bees triumphed 42-36 on the night to become league champions. hi eddie i know it was one of the lions fixtures you missed, but there was 20,000 at wembley for the reopener against hackney in 1970. the thing i remember most about this meeting was the live lions on parade! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmauger Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 (edited) I really cannot believe it's 30 years since that memorable night at Brandon when 20,000 or so witnessed Ole Olsen's Bees up against Ivan Mauger's Vikings. The winners would be the champions - simple as that. In 40 seasons of Speedway I cannot recall a larger attendance for a league fixture that I have attended. For those who were not around at the time or have forgotten, the Bees triumphed 42-36 on the night to become league champions. Thanks for reminding me(!). Have to say Hull really 'lost' the league championship over the course of the season when 3 riders did a no show at Wimbledon and the remaing 4 + guest Graeme Stapleton (who also guested for us on 'that nite' at Brandon, for injured heat leader Kelly Moran) went down by 36-41, drawing 39-all at Swindon when another rider never turned up and a result at Poole going from a 40-38 win to another draw when Mauger was excluded having cracked his silencer coming off the track when the last had ended. It could therefore be argued the team didn't really deserve to win in any case. I was there 'that nite' memories include Vikings flags on sale in the car park (I still have mine) the then usual Coventry gating championships, huge crowd packed like sardines on the terraces - you couldn't fit another person in with a shoe horn, and Coventry fans sharing champagne with us after the meet. Coevntry then had a match v Leicester but by then Hull fans had understandably lost interest by that point. Heck of a nite though. Indeed 1979 could've an absolutely awesome year for Hull both directly and indirectly. The Vikings won the 4-team finals at Sheffield, New Zealand won the World Team Cup (beating Olsen's Denmark), Ivan won his 6th World Championship in Poland, we could've (should've?!) won the league and the season ended in late October when Bruce Penhall's Cradley Heath (featuring future Craven Park era Viking Alan Grahame) beat us in the final of the Knock Out Cup but I think even Mauger had had enough by then. But there was one more disappointment for Hull fans when the riders didn't come out after the final home meeting to say 'goodbye and (hope to) see you all next year'. Could've been one heck of a year. Oh well.... Edited October 14, 2009 by Martin Mauger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidba Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 God i remember waiting for the result in the Daily Mirror the next day and being gutted at the result as i disliked Olsen even then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 Thanks for reminding me(!). Have to say Hull really 'lost' the league championship over the course of the season when 3 riders did a no show at Wimbledon and the remaing 4 + guest Graeme Stapleton (who also guested for us on 'that nite' at Brandon, for injured heat leader Kelly Moran) went down by 36-41, drawing 39-all at Swindon when another rider never turned up and a result at Poole going from a 40-38 win to another draw when Mauger was excluded having cracked his silencer coming off the track when the last had ended. It could therefore be argued the team didn't really deserve to win in any case. I was there 'that nite' memories include Vikings flags on sale in the car park (I still have mine) the then usual Coventry gating championships, huge crowd packed like sardines on the terraces - you couldn't fit another person in with a shoe horn, and Coventry fans sharing champagne with us after the meet. Coevntry then had a match v Leicester but by then Hull fans had understandably lost interest by that point. Heck of a nite though. Indeed 1979 could've an absolutely awesome year for Hull both directly and indirectly. The Vikings won the 4-team finals at Sheffield, New Zealand won the World Team Cup (beating Olsen's Denmark), Ivan won his 6th World Championship in Poland, we could've (should've?!) won the league and the season ended in late October when Bruce Penhall's Cradley Heath (featuring future Craven Park era Viking Alan Grahame) beat us in the final of the Knock Out Cup but I think even Mauger had had enough by then. But there was one more disappointment for Hull fans when the riders didn't come out after the final home meeting to say 'goodbye and (hope to) see you all next year'. Could've been one heck of a year. Oh well.... i remember the meeting at wimbledon well. hull put in a good performance with half a team and the dons really had a hard time winning the match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hullangel Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 I will never forget that night. Somebody had made signs saying " SHEEP IN WOLVES CLOTHING ".......CLEVER! Also remember the drive home in the fog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 Does anybody have any pictures of this meeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DW Posted October 24, 2009 Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 Was Bobby Beaton one of the no shows at Wimbledon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmauger Posted October 24, 2009 Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 Frank Auffret, Bobby Beaton & Graham Drury were no shows at Wimbledon and Joe Owen didn't make it to Swindon that year.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Turner Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 I really cannot believe it's 30 years since that memorable night at Brandon when 20,000 or so witnessed Ole Olsen's Bees up against Ivan Mauger's Vikings. The winners would be the champions - simple as that. The meeting was a bit of an anti-climax to be honest. I remember it well, despite being just a boy... Worth pointing out though, it was actually 26,500 that paid to get in that night. Fantastic occasion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritPete Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 (edited) Didn't Olsen beat Mauger in heat one, and then went on to get a max? That's the way I recall it. Edited October 25, 2009 by BritPete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Blanchard Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Does anybody have any pictures of this meeting. I am sorry I have had a look but I have not. I have found three not very good ones of Kings Lynn v. Hull from what may have been the same year perhaps? I might have some more from this meeting. Thought the Hull fans might appreciate them though. Here Here Here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Sounds like a good idea for a feature in the next issue of Backtrack... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Ah,put some Castrol R in the burner....on the patio with a bottle of something strong....hic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 My dad was there that night. He said the atmosphere was electric though the size of the crowd was no bigger than British Final crowds in the 70s and arguably smaller than we used to get at Hyde Road for BLRC nights - but as a league match it may well have been the biggest ever. Shame speedway attendances aren't published. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Yes indeed, Leicester were the 'support act' in the Midland Cup or something similar. The Bees won 53 - 25 I think. Gosh! It's a good job I can't remember anything about our match with the Bees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Turner Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 ...the size of the crowd was no bigger than British Final crowds in the 70s and arguably smaller than we used to get at Hyde Road for BLRC nights I thought Hyde Road was 18,000 full to the brim, which it was a good few times, but I may well be wrong As for British Finals, none of the Coventry ones ever got over 20,000. Two meetings at Brandon stand way above all others when it comes to packin' em in...this Hull meeting and Nigel Boocock's meeting with 23,000 enjoying a sunny Sunday afternoon Including a seven-year-old Stephen Turner being taken round the track sat on Booey's handlebars ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 I thought Hyde Road was 18,000 full to the brim, which it was a good few times, but I may well be wrong As for British Finals, none of the Coventry ones ever got over 20,000. Two meetings at Brandon stand way above all others when it comes to packin' em in...this Hull meeting and Nigel Boocock's meeting with 23,000 enjoying a sunny Sunday afternoon Including a seven-year-old Stephen Turner being taken round the track sat on Booey's handlebars ! what about the brandonapolis that doubled up as the ole olsen farewell. it looked like a massive crowd that day, am i right in thinking it was 1983. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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